


Dark Heart Dawning

by TheHatterTheory



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M, Kink, Romance, Smut, Wangst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-01-27
Updated: 2012-02-09
Packaged: 2017-11-10 19:50:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/470011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHatterTheory/pseuds/TheHatterTheory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inside of everyone a dark other waits, ready to unfurl at the slightest provocation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Force Of Gravity

**Dark Heart Dawning**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**One: The Force Of Gravity**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inu Yasha. I don't own BT. 

**Warnings:** Feudal bondage FTW! And some light s/m. Definitely cuckolding. Who knows what'll get thrown in here? This is for the Too Much GM for GM challenge. Which means...Well, things might get a wee bit uncomfortable later on. I've got a long list of kinks open on the tubes and I fully expect to be pillaging it. My whole goal is to shove as much kinky smut into this as I can while still maintaining some semblance of a plot.

**Good Idea?** (y/n)

___________________________________________________________

The world was quiet on her way to the well. The sky was dark blue, although the stars were dimmed by the light of a moon that hung so close to the earth she felt she could reach out and touch it. The silver orb in the sky lit the night, so bright that it almost seemed like it was the day The snow on the ground was cold and crunched beneath her feet, reflecting moonlight and only making the world around her brighter.

White reflected everywhere. Snow hung heavy on trees and covered the ground, a pristine, even blanket of powder. Perfect, untouched and virgin. Her feet moved up and down, marring the pallid stillness, shattering the silence with the crunching echos as she moved closer to her goal. Beneath the cover of snowfall, the path was worn into the ground. She knew it by heart.

Ice crystals clung to her woolen hakama and melted against her legs, cold and unforgiving. With each step the bitter chill crept further up her legs and slowed her down. By the time she entered the clearing, the pants seemed ready to fall off from the added weight. Even the bottom of her kimono, tucked inside of her pants, had accumulated water.

Half rotted timber partially buried in a snowdrift was the only thing to mark where the well stood, a silent testimony to her own foolish mistake. She let her hands rest on the barely visible wood, the cold seeping into her palms and fingers, numbing them.

Her life had not turned out as she had expected. After a thousand battles for the jewel, she had returned to her own home. Every moment she was there, she had longed for the past, for excitement and danger. The return to the past had yielded nothing but routine and bitter disappointment. Day in and day out, the same things occupied her schedule. Not that she hated it. Taking care of Shippou and Rin had proven to be a task in and of itself, one that she took on with the joy only a mother could. Learning to use the medicines nature provided also gave her satisfaction.

But her marriage was a dying disaster, and had little hope of being revived, not that she hadn't tried. But her husband stubbornly resisted, miring himself in the problems that had arisen on the night of their wedding. Even intimacy was bumbling and awkward, leaving her feeling empty and lonely. Dreams of intense kisses and long nights spent learning Inu Yasha's body and him learning her own had died a slow, agonizing death filled with innumerable moments of mortification and shame.

Each attempt to express her love, even in innocent ways, was met with a stony silence. More and more he was searching for work further afield, leaving the village behind for days at a time before returning. Each time the hanyou left it felt like being rejected all over again, once more for something she had no control over. Deciding the kami had a truly cruel sense of humor, she no longer asked them for help, for guidance. Inu Yasha's last rejection months ago had been more than enough to convince her that while they did exist (after all, she had been gifted with holy powers, supposedly) they found her misery amusing. At the very least, entertaining.

The ephemeral brush of an especially powerful aura brushed against her senses, halting her train of thought and alerting her to her audience.

“You can come out. I'm not so weak I can't feel you,” She called into the night, knowing the youkai in question would either choose to reveal himself or remain in the shadows. There was never any telling with him. However, she had no idea what she'd do if he did decide to show himself. It wasn't as if he were a friend she could confide in, and she clung to these moments of solitude where sensitive noses and too perceptive eyes didn't lead to uncomfortable questions or pitying gazes.

“You look at the portal as if you regret coming back.” His voice broke through the stillness, soft and sharp at the same time. His words cut at her, an observation from him, but to her an accusation she could not escape. Especially since it was at least half true.

“And if I do?” She bit out, too nostalgic for dreams of yesterday to care what the youkai thought.

“Then you should find your way back,” He intoned apathetically as he stepped into the clearing. She looked over her shoulder and almost laughed. White hair, white clothing, white skin. If it weren't for the colors on his clothes or the markings on his face, he could easily blend in with the snow blanketing the ground.

“I can't,” She sighed, looking back into the dark pit that was the well. In the queer brightness of the night, she could see to the bottom. Bones littered to ground, pale shadows reflecting the moon's light.

He came closer. She couldn't hear it, but she could feel it. Bright and undeniably strong, his aura pushed against her own, seeking dominance, an authoritative reminder that only served to annoy her. Allowing herself an outlet, her aura flared in challenge. It was only because she was Rin's teacher that she was comfortable expressing herself in such a manner. Any other would be killed for such an action.

“What is it you seek?” He demanded in a soft voice. “You come here every night.”

“How do you know?” She muttered angrily, dispelling his youki angrily as she pushed herself from the well's wooden rim. She was surprised as she turned towards him. His fingers wrapped around her throat almost carelessly.

“Such an action does not suit an ally,” She reminded him, feeling his claws beginning to prick at her flesh despite his loose grip on the column of her neck. His youki flared again and wrapped around her reiki once again, blanketing it and pressing into her, almost suffocating in it's bullying quest for dominance.

“I have never allied myself to you,” He responded calmly, as if his large hand on her neck was the most natural thing in the world. Light reflected off of his gold eyes strangely, the pupils reflecting a hint of green.

“Just leave me alone,” She demanded, not feeling the least bit of fear. Rin was his weak spot, though no one would ever say it aloud. Sure in the knowledge that he wouldn't do anything to harm her, one of Rin's favorite people, she flared her ki defiantly once more, satisfied when his eyes widened a fraction. It was the sudden tilt of his lips that worried her.

“No.”

His youki surged and swelled, filling the clearing and tangling with her reiki. Silently he stepped closer, and she wished she could look down and see if he was hovering over the snow. There was no betraying sound of the white powder crunching beneath his feet as he closed what little distance there had been between them.

“Why?” The question came out as a breath, the sound trembling and anxious, betraying her nervousness at his proximity. He inhaled deeply, face inches from her own. Hyper aware, she realized his thumb had begun stroking her neck, up and down. Utterly foreign, the sensation of the ridged digit rubbing a simple pattern warmed the flesh there. Perplexed by the motion, she swallowed thickly, awaiting his answer.

“You have not lain with the halfbreed in two seasons,” He stated simply, gaze intent and intense.

“What?” She stuttered, the thumb decidedly warm on the chilled flesh of her neck. Heat followed and dissipated, making her shiver.

“The half breed is foolish.”

Another strange statement, but one that sent her hackles up nonetheless, cutting through the nervous tension.

“He is my husband,” She snapped.

“I do not recognize human marriages, only matings. He was too weak to even give you that much,” He observed. The statement rubbed salt in a still open, bleeding wound. Most hanyou were incapable of bestowing a true mating mark, one that would tie their life with that of another. Inu Yasha had tried and lacked the power, or her own energy, the antitheses to youki, had rejected it. Either way, it had been the wedge driven between them, the reason for her husband's cold behavior and ever increasing distance.

“What of it?” She finally snapped, feeling the thumb beginning to make small circles. Uncomfortably aware of his nearness, she wanted to step back, but knew the moment she tried she would fall into the well and probably break her neck.

“You are not satisfied.”

That observation was too much for her wounded pride. His strange behavior coupled with his too true declarations broke her control. Angrily she forced her reiki to swell, battling the smothering blanket of his youki. Determined to be free of his presence, she tried to focus on sending jolts to his hand, hoping it might affect him like the tazers from her time.

Instead, his smirk grew and his eyes narrowed, flashing victoriously. For a moment the sight chilled her before her mind blanked as his lips made contact with her own, claiming them hungrily in a bruising kiss. Lips opened to scream and instead allowed his tongue to slip past and caress her own. The hand circling her neck, moved behind it to keep her in place even as her hands pushed against his chest, trying to get away. Not caring if she fell in the well, she tried to focus her reiki in her hands and hurt him. Instead, the attempt only served to bring a chuckle from deep in his chest that ended against her lips when he pulled back.

Eyes bleeding into crimson were filled with such undisguised hunger that she froze, reminded of a wolf that had suddenly scented prey. Or a mate. Never had she been the focus of such an intense, unwavering want. Not once in her life could she recall a man ever looking at her with the kind of naked lust reflected in the daiyoukai's eyes. Even before Inu Yasha had failed to give her the mating mark, he'd never looked ready to devour her, mind and body alike.

“You deny your nature,” He rumbled, lips brushing against hers as he spoke. Each caress was deliberate, and he punctuated the statement by touching the tip of his tongue to the center of her lower lip so lightly she almost thought she had imagined it.

“I don't love you,” She protested, needing to get away from him, from the unfamiliar headiness his gaze produced.

“I don't love you,” He offered in a deep voice not entirely his own. “I want you.” The statement was punctuated by his body pressing into hers, the evidence of his 'want' obvious despite the layers of clothing he wore, pressing against her stomach. Trying not to feel it, assuring herself that she was imagining the heat through the layers of cloth separating them, she shook her head insistently.

“I'm married to Inu Yasha,” She whimpered, hating herself for the interest her own body was showing, how it was responding to the claws tracing patterns on the back of her neck. Writing off the resulting shiver to the cold, she pushed against him with her hands once more, sending reiki pulsing into him. Once again, her display of power only seemed to amuse him.

“As I said, I do not recognize 'marriage'. To me, you are free,” He responded evenly, his hand forcing her head to tilt up and expose her neck. Her skin felt as if it was a size too small as his lips touched her jugular. Sharp fangs closed over it, holding it gently between them. A sign of dominance, whether she willed it or not. The action itself was darkly thrilling, pressing a button she hadn't even known she'd possessed. Hot, moist exhales puffed over skin pulled taut, and his warm, smooth tongue swept over it, resulting in a shudder that wracked her body despite the monumental effort she put forth to contain the reaction. His grip loosened, and he began moving over her neck, nipping and sucking on spots she hadn't been aware of existing five minutes before.

“Sesshoumaru-” She breathed, wanting to ignore the tightening of her breasts and the hardening of her nipples. “Sesshoumaru.” Much to her dismay, it came out sounding like a plea. The answering sound her made vibrated against her flesh, sapping the strength from her legs. “Please, this isn't-”

“Tell me to stop,” He breathed huskily next to her ear before taking the lower lobe between his lips, tongue tickling it gently before pulling away. “Lie to me and tell me you don't want my cock sheathed in your body.”

The word was one she had never dared to use before, at least not aloud. It stirred something dark and heady in her, adding to the heat between her legs as the image of him doing exactly as he said filled her mind. The very thought was forbidden and though it had never occurred to her before, it was suddenly tempting, seductive. That he was touching her, kissing her flew in the face of all reason and logic. A thousand motives supplied themselves eagerly, and yet none could break down the utter hunger in his words.

_'I want you.'_

The thrill of being wanted, of being lusted after cut a burning path down to her groin, rekindling a heat she had thought permanently frozen by Inu Yasha's withdrawal.

“I-” She choked out as his lips and teeth and tongue tried to distract her. “I-” A refusal was attempting to stutter it's way out of her mouth and her tongue was traitorously tying itself in knots, preventing the words from being said. The wrongness of the situation threw itself against the sensations he was expertly rousing, clashing and crumbling into dust when a fang scraped against her flesh harder than before.

“You want me to fuck you,” He supplied, voice only slightly muffled as he continued his path down her neck, pausing when he reached the collar of her kimono. “I can smell your arousal, the wetness between your legs.”

The blunt way he said it, the words he used wore at her resolve, that dark other inside of her unfurling and tightly wrapping her self control in it's shadow until it was obscured completely. Flushed, warm skin became hypersensitive, the harsh wool of her kimono scraping against it unpleasantly. The wetness he spoke of was pooling between her thighs. Feeling empty, needy, she tried to force herself out of it, to think about the cold snow on the ground that soaked her clothing. Instead she could only feel heat where he was pressed to her, his whole body radiating warmth. His manhood was pressed against her stomach, burning her skin through the layers of wool and silk.

This was Sesshoumaru, who hated humans. Sesshoumaru, that regularly ignored her and Inu Yasha. The daiyoukai that had tried to kill her several times in the past. Sesshoumaru, who was burning her skin with his lips and sending out pulsing, dominating waves of youki to tangle with her reiki that in no way felt malevolent, although she wasn't sure if the lack of destructive intent frightened her more or less.

“Please, Sesshoumaru-” She tried again, resolve weakening when he pulled her kimono open, exposing her chest the the cold night air. His hand left her neck and both came to palm her breasts, hands unbearably hot as he squeezed gently. His palms, rough from handling a sword for centuries, scraped deliciously against her nipples. Unknowingly she arched into the touch, too desperate for air to notice anything but his hands becoming rougher, fingers moving to pinch and tug at her nipples as lack of oxygen made her dizzy.

His hands fell away, ripping a whimper from her throat as she arched higher, missing their attentions until his mouth replaced them, fangs nipping at tender flesh and tongue darting out, leaving a rapidly cooling trail of heat in it's wake as he moved lower, capturing one nipple with his mouth. Shock trilled through her as he nipped gently and swirled his tongue over it. His hair was silky, sinfully smooth between her fingers as any thought of resistance flew from her mind.

She felt wanted, felt drunk, sinful and sexy. His unabashed, unapologetic lust soothed an ache that had left her feeling less than a woman. That shadow self within her, purely, instinctively female, was urging her on, begging her to give in to the sensations, to being wanted and touched.

Dexterous fingers were busy untying her hakama, pushing them down and exposing her legs to the freezing cold. Lips changed, moving to her other nipple as large, rough hands smoothed over her backside, claws digging into the flesh, trailing throbbing heat over the fleshy orbs and up her back before moving over her ribs. The pointed tips drew blood, the tiny drops beading the surface, although not falling. She could feel them cooling, gelling in place. The dark other forced the moan from between her lips, delighting in the shock of pain clashed with the pleasure, amplifying it.

He pulled away with a dark, feral snarl, eyes reflecting the light eerily. His hands moved lower and lower, coming close to the heat at her center. Her chest heaved as she drew in air in half strangled gasps while his red eyed gaze bore down on her.

“Tell me,” He demanded, his voice unnaturally deep.

“What?” She breathed, unable to form a coherent thought, much less a coherent sentence. Around her the world had shrunk to a bubble, nothing outside of the rough feel of the well rim beneath her hands as she tried to brace herself or the quivering heat pulsing through her body.

“Tell me what you want.” The demand left no room for argument, his tone making the words drift over her over sensitized skin like the tip of a blade, dangerously close to cutting flesh and all the more thrilling for the risk.

“Touch, please, touch me,” She whimpered, needing to feel his hands, aching for some release from the spiraling tension that threatened to break her in two. Even in fantasy, not that she had indulged in those in the last year, had such jagged pleasure been present, edges so vividly sharp that it crossed the line into sensual agony.

“Where?”

“There, please,” She begged. “Please-”

“Tell me.” His hand was resting on her thigh, the other going to toy with her nipple, distracting her.

“I can't.”

“Where?” The hand on her thigh moved to hover over her pubic mound, fingers hovering over the area that seemed to be pulsing out waves of heat. For a brief moment she imagined that his hand was warmer, on fire, the radiating heat combining with her own nad licking up her body. Dizzy and overwhelmed, the words tripped over her lips before she could stop them.

“Please, my-” She finally breathed, desperation winning over modesty. “Please, touch my pussy.” The darkness inside of her shivered at the word, replaying it slowly, throatily. The syllables echoed in her head, and her tongue seemed to burn at the utterance.

His satisfied hum was met with a sharp cry as his hand slid over the area and then came back up, middle finger sliding between her lips. Delicious friction sent waves of pleasure coursing through her. The pointed tip of a claw ghosted over her clit, the sensation making her hips twitch uncontrollably. Wet slickness was coating her inner thighs as she moved against his hand, too delirious from the heat to care what she may have looked like to him. Mewling whimpers rose from her throat and were strangled by his free hand threading into her hair and pulling her head back.

“I want to see you,” He snarled as his red eyes met her blue ones. Unable to look away from his face, she tried closing her eyes only to have him jerk her hair roughly. “Don't look away. Look at me when you come.”

She obeyed, opening her eyes despite wanting to look away from the feral, hungry gaze of her husband's brother. Shame should have killed the lust, even dulled the sinful intoxication spreading through her. Instead she felt completely bared, utterly naked in the face of his almost frightening want. Seemingly rewarding her acquiescence, his finger began circling her clit, the rough pad sliding around it quickly. Maddeningly he seemed determined to avoid direct contact, making her thrust and roll her hips into his hand, attempting to gain the desired touch, needy for the pressure she knew would bring release.

“Sesshoumaru.” It was a simple gasp, but it was enough for the daiyoukai. Any attempt to tease was obviously discarded, the callused pad of his finger pressed down on the bundle of nerves, rubbing it expertly. His eyes pinned her down and his youki wrapped around her.

“Now,” He commanded sharply.

It was ridiculous that he thought he could command her orgasm. In some far off place in her own head, she was aware of that. However, her body only seemed too willing to oblige him, the tension in her shattering. A loud wail filled the night as her blood turned to fire in her veins, burning her from the inside out. For a moment she felt herself falling backwards, into the well. His hand left her hair and kept her stable, resting at the small of her back, claws pricking the already abused skin and lancing the pleasure, amplifying her gratification instead of burning through it.

Taking advantage of her dazed state, he leaned down, mouth next to her ear, lips grazing the lobe.

“I could thrust into you,” He whispered seductively, his hands moving to rest on her bottom, claws tracing light paths over the angry welts he'd left. “Feel your pussy,” He paused, and she could feel the smile as he obviously remembered her breathless pleading. “Slick and tight around my cock as I stroke in and out.”

The smoky, shadowy part of herself wanted to spread her legs and beg for the satisfaction that was sure to be hers if she did. With each word his breath puffed out over her ear and the obscenities falling from his lips tightened the coil of lust in her belly. But her conscience was beginning to awaken, the words forming in her own head clashing angrily with the ones filtering in through the dim haze the world had become.

“I can give you satisfaction.”

Cold had seeped in and was chilling the heat of her ardor. Passion died quickly when she remembered just where she was, who she was. For a moment she had been disturbingly out of control of her own body, and now she was standing, bared to the daiyoukai that was her husband's half brother. Hated half brother. Shame permeated the pleasure and pushed the lurid shadow self that had controlled her down into the dark recesses she had risen from.

“Why did you do this?” She whispered brokenly. “Why are you doing this?”

Her tone made him pull back, and she looked up into his still red eyes, and the naked, bared feeling lost it's allure, instead leaving her emotionally vulnerable and very, very small.

“Because I want you,” He stated simply, as if that was all that needed to be said.

“Why? I'm a human, a miko. You hate me.”

He brought his face close to hers, and his eyes closed as he inhaled, opening again scant inches from her own.

“One moon,” He replied, ignoring her question.

“One moon what?” She asked dumbly, thrown by the statement.

“You have one moon to decide if you want satisfaction.”

“I don't,” She bit out, earning a dark chuckle. A hand threaded into her hair and pulled tightly, forcing her head to tilt back. Hard lips descended on her own, his tongue sliding over the seam of her lips and demanding entrance. Determined to refuse him access, she kept them stubbornly closed. The hand in her hair twisted, pulling the locks and forcing an indignant noise that started in her throat and hummed angrily in her mouth. Still, she kept her lips held tightly together.

His other hand moved to her breast and pinched a nipple between two claws, shocking her, the resulting jolt of electricity eliciting a gasp. His tongue plunged into her mouth and caressed her own. His attentions to her nipple didn't cease once he had fulfilled his objective, the aching bud still held between the sharp points of his claws teasingly.

When he pulled away and his hands fall to rest at his sides, she told herself she was not -was not- disappointed.

“One moon.”

And unlike his normal, faster than the speed of light exit, he walked out of the clearing, disappearing into the trees one confident step at a time.

 ___________________________________________________________

**A/N:**  I regret nothing. XD

Reviews, while not necessary, are lovely.  


	2. I Love When You Fall

**Dark Heart Dawning**

**By: The Hatter Theory**

**Chapter Two: I Love When You Fall**

**Disclaimer:** Who doesn't own Inu Yasha or BT rights? Oh, that is correct. I don't.

 **Warnings:** Bondage in this chapter, as well as reluctance, which might make some of you uncomfortable. So, you were warned. Also, plot. It keeps sneaking into my smut. The hell?

 ___________________________________________________

Each of the three days before her husband returned to the village had passed in a harried flurry of activity. Several villagers were ill, mostly elderly people that would either survive or die as nature willed. Her job was to administer medicine to help ease the effects of their illness and the dull the pain. Her son and Rin kept her equally busy as they suffered through a particularly bad bout of cabin fever.

Tangled in each action, each moment, was the thought of what had happened at the well. Since that night she had not returned, but she could not forget that something had happened. Her rough woolen clothing brushed against the healing scrapes and scratches left by he daiyoukai's claws. In his apparent fervor he had bitten hard enough to bruise, leaving her torso marked with small purple blemishes. During the day, she recoiled from thinking about it, about him. But in the evenings the ephemeral stranger, the shadow self inside of her seemed to seep out of the corner she had contained it to and would try to replay the scene in her head.

It was with an iron will that she kept from reliving the experience as a whole, and the dark other would, in her own mind at least, make a petulant face and go back to that deep recess in her mind, but not before throwing one image in her face, so to speak. The memory of him, his eyes completely bled into crimson and filled with hunger did more than linger, it persisted with all the tenacity of the daiyoukai himself, making her shudder. It was in those moments that she imagined the shadow self, that sultry, smoky being, laughing at her.

By the time Inu Yasha stepped into their hut that evening, a sturdy structure he had built with children in mind, she was too exhausted to be anxious, her nighttime musings and work in the vilage having taken their toll. Instead of standing to greet him, she nodded and murmured a quiet hello as the children babbled to him about what had happened while he was away. Two boxes thumped onto the wooden floor. Unable to stop herself, she remembered him bragging about how he and Miroku had talked a priest into parting with extra boards left over from repairing his temple. Unbidden, tears formed in her eyes.

“I got rice and some dried fruit as payment,” The gruff voice said, breaking through her nostalgia. “On my way back, I heard about some problems in the east.”

When she looked up, she was unsurprised to find him looking determinedly away from her, bending to fiddle with the boxes. He showed the children the dried fruits and gave them some, then put the boxes over in the corner.

“When will you be leaving?” Her question was spoken in a dull, accepting tone. It was their new pattern. No more fights, no more tears, no more begging. Acceptance.

“Tomorrow.”

“I understand. Perhaps you would like to visit Sango and Miroku.”

He was halfway out of the hut before she even finished the statement, although she wasn't surprised. He wouldn't go visit their dearest friends, because their friends had their dreams. Marriage. Love. Children. All of it sprinkled with a healthy dose of pity in her case, and stifling disapproval in her husband's.

“Mama?” Shippou asked, eyes wide and bright with quickly forming tears.

“What is it sweetie?” She murmured, moving to add more kindling to their fire.

“Why is Inu Yasha so mad at us?”

The innocent question cut at her heart, forcing tears held at bay to begin falling. Anguish formed a stranglehold on her throat, and it was with a sense of desperation that she opened her arms to both children, who flew into her embrace with a similar urgency.

“He's not mad at you, at any of us. He's just adjusting to a new life and it's difficult,” She tried explaining, not sure the children would even understand that oversimplification. “He likes fighting, and it's harder when you have a family.”

“He told Miroku he wants a family,” Shippou rebutted. “Doesn't he want us?”

That hurt more than the kitsune would understand, and she hoped he never realized it. Instead of answering, because all words would fall flat in the face of such an accusation, she held the two warm bodies of the children to her more tightly, burying her face in their hair and murmured words telling them how much she loved them both.

 ___________________________________________________

When Kagome woke the next morning, she gently moved away from the children, both of whom had cuddled up to her during the night, and slipped from under the covers. Tip toeing quietly to avoid waking Shippou, she changed quietly, quickly covering her naked form with a kimono in case he woke. The marks left from Sesshoumaru's attentions were not something she wanted to explain to him. Once that was finished, her movements lost their urgency and she pulled the woolen hakama up her legs and tied them expertly, noting that she would have to clean clothing that day.

Toeing on her shoes -one of the few things she had kept after returning to the feudal era- she pushed aside the layers of furs that served as a door and stepped outside, flinching when the snow crunched noisily beneath her feet. Moving quickly and as quietly as she could, she put distance between herself and the hut. The building itself was on the outskirts of the village, reflecting Inu Yasha's wish for privacy and his need to be close to the forest. Grateful no one could see her sneaking from her own home, she breathed a sigh of relief when she was out of the still limited range of her adopted son.

Inhaling the sharply cold air, she tried to calm her breathing, uttering a small prayer to the heavens before clearing her thoughts. With a delicate tendril, she probed the area, looking for the particular flavor of youki her husband emanated. After several minutes of nothing, she heaved a confused sigh. A part of her was grateful for the reprieve. Even if things were to suddenly change, she couldn't face him with the marks bestowed on her by his half brother. Giving up, she turned and began walking back towards her hut, making plans for melting snow and cleaning clothes. It was a mark of her own distraction -and desperate need for it- that she didn't even notice the obstacle in her path until she bumped into it.

“Oh, I'm so so-” She started, stopping when her eyes looked up into the amused, burnished gold eyes of Sesshoumaru. “Sorry.” The apology was finished in a mumble as she stepped to the side and continued walking at a fast clip, heedless of the racket she created as she walked through the fresh snowfall. Anxiety barely held at bay broke past it's bonds and injected nervous energy into her legs and hands, driving away any thought of the cold as she bunched her hakama in her hands, moving faster and faster.

Stumbling into home home, guilt needled her when Shippou fairly flew from under the covers, his red hair sticking in a thousand directions as he looked around for the source of the noise.

“Go back to bed sweetie,” She mumbled, shamefaced. “I just thought I saw something outside, it's fine.”

The kitsune, in the manner of all children, nodded once and crawled back under the covers, burrowing in the blankets and creating a small pseudo den around himself. Rin turned in her sleep and curled around him, seeking warmth. Warmth filled her at the sight, quickly followed by another wave of nostalgia. Trying to forget what it felt like to hug her own brother, she moved over to the small fire basin built into the floor and began arranging kindling in it, determined to get started with her day and put the image of the daiyoukai behind her.

Within a few minutes a small fire was burning in the pit built into the floor and she was reaching for the water bucket when a cold breeze brushed over her back and sent a shiver running down her spine. Looking over her shoulder, it was by the grace of some divinity in the sky that she barely managed to avoid falling into the fire. For there, in all of his arrogant glory, stood the daiyoukai that had been occupying her thoughts.

Several minutes of tense silence passed as she stared up at him, mentally running through an emotional gauntlet. For his part, he stared down at her with a mixture of amusement that only further served to confuse and frustrate her.

“Most people knock,” She ground out, finally gaining her bearings and standing. Since shouting at him wasn't an option -not in front of the children anyway- she settled for ignoring him, not even looking in his direction as she walked outside and away from the hut. With long determined strides she put distance between herself and the arrogant youkai -again- and towards the village well. Grateful no one was about as she sent the bucket flying down, she pulled the bucket back up when it thudded against a solid layer of ice.

Apparently no one else had tried to use the well this morning, or if they had, they had opted for the easier to melt snow. However, the ice forming a solid layer on top of the water proved a welcome outlet for her frustrations. With all the frustration and anger she had, she threw the wooden bucket back down at the ice, making sure the rope didn't follow it all the way in. Pulling it up, she was readying herself for a third try when a hand grabbed the bucket, pulling it from her grip.

“I'm fi-” She started, stopping when she saw the daiyoukai holding the bucket, the smug smirk wider than ever, for him at least. While it wasn't much from anyone else, it spoke volumes for him. Immediately she knew he was laughing at her, and after Inu Yasha's abrupt dismissal and wordless departure, she wasn't in the mood for it.

“Give me the bucket,” She snapped impatiently.

“You will break it before you break the ice,” He informed her coolly, brow arching in a mocking manner.

“Then I'll replace it. Hand. Me. The bucket.” Her hand was held out, waiting for it. Instead, he ignored her demand and peered into the well. A single burst of youki tingled along her senses, and then sound of cracking echoed from within the well. With a singularly superior look, he handed the bucket to her and spun on his heel, walking back towards her hut.

Muttering uncomplimentary epithets under her breath, she sent the bucket back down with more force than necessary. The cracked ice gave and the bucket went under. With and ease she had gained through a year of experience, she pulled it up and poured it into her own bucket, spilling only a little because of quickly numbing fingers. Pausing briefly to look at her hut, she imagined the children waking to the sight of Sesshoumaru, a rare visitor and Rin's favorite person in the whole world.

Wondering why he'd decided to visit again so soon -normally he only came once every season- she began trudging towards her hut, anticipating hearing squeals of delight at any moment. Surprised when nothing of the sort occurred, she shifted the hanging furs to the side and stepped in, further shocked by the sight of the still sleeping children. Shippou, despite his grogginess, would normally sense the daiyoukai and be on the alert, still childishly nervous around him.

Feeling awkward, she tried to ignore the obvious presence in her tiny hut, shuffling around and pouring some of the water into small pot to boil, already anticipating tea to warm her cold fingers. She'd give anything for a pair of mittens, or a muff, or gloves. Anything.

“The half breed is not doing his duty,” That calm, almost apathetic tone stated. Turning her head so fast she gave herself a slight case of whiplash, she frowned at him, readying a volley of insults, all of which had been stewing for days. His hand came up, gold eyes flicking over to the sleeping pallets where the children still slept.

“He has not replenished your food stores.”

“We're fine. He brought rice and dried fruit yesterday.”

“Humans,” He started, the word rolling off of his tongue, although unlike usual, it lacked the snide bite. “May be able to subsist off of vegetation. Most youkai cannot.”

His words hit her like a freight train. Shippou's growth had never occurred to her. She had always assumed he wasn't growing quickly because youkai aged differently than humans, but if it was because he wasn't getting proper nutrition...Immediately guilt washed over her, making already numb fingers clumsy. The pot dropped from her hand and she flinched, expecting a crash and cold water spilling onto her clothing. When the hut stayed blessedly, miraculously silent, she looked down blue eyes widening when she saw a clawed hand holding the metal container.

“Do you know how to hunt?” He asked, putting it on the fire as if nothing had happened. Dumbly she shook her head, eyes still on the spot where the pot would have landed. At her response, he stood fluidly and exited without a word, the only sound in the hut the sound of the furs at the entrance rustling.

Still feeling strangely off kilter, she went through the motions of warming rice made the day before, making sure there was enough for the daiyoukai as well. It wasn't that she expected him to accept the offer of human food, especially in light of his recent revelation, but to not make the effort would be rude, and despite his behavior, it went against everything her mother had taught her to forgo the gesture. Half an hour passed in complete silence until the smell of warm tea and the warmed rice woke the children.

They bounced out of the blankets just as she was arranging the food on plates. With a mental flinch she handed Shippou his plate of rice and dried fruit, trying to soak in the joy he obviously felt at the sight of the new addition.

It was seconds later when the daiyoukai stepped into the hut, carrying two long, straight sticks and something that looked like it had been ripped straight from a horror film. Watching in stunned silence as Rin shouted his name, she tried not to choke as he sat himself next to the fire pit and calmly began spearing four fleshy bodies of what she guessed were rabbits and then stuck them in the stones surrounding the fire.

“Sesshoumaru-sama, thank you!” Rin cheered, smiling adoringly at her hero. He said nothing, but nodded once in acknowledgment.

“Is that for Inu Yasha?” Shippou asked at last, with a nod towards the still full plate. Kagome, still at a loss for words, shook her head, trying to swallow thickly. The mere mention of her husband's name was enough to bring angry tears to her eyes. Blinking rapidly several times to clear them, she inhaled deeply.

“I prepared it for Sesshoumaru-sama,” She managed to choke out.

Rin, misunderstanding her wobbly voice, began babbling about the village and it's most recent events as she offered the plate to Sesshoumaru, who of course refused it. Undisturbed by her guardian's refusal, she continued speaking to fill the silence, even drawing Shippou into the conversation. As if both of them were sure a silent moment would bring utter destruction, they talked about everything they could think of at great length.

Desperate for something to keep her hands busy now that any trace of her appetite had fled, she stood and moved over to the corner of the hut where dried herbs were carefully bundled and stored. The night before she had prepared all of the mixtures necessary as she made her rounds, and moved them into a basket. After a quick check, she inhaled and bowed to Sesshoumaru.

“Please excuse my rudeness, but I have duties I must see to, Sesshoumaru.”

Despite her lack of an honorific, he nodded in acknowledgment. The minute she stepped outside she was able to breathe a little easier. Once out of range of the hut and the youkai that would sense her disquiet, she let her control slip. Righteous fury clouded her aura as she stalked to Kaede's hut, needing to speak to the elder, hoping for something, anything, to help her breathe, to calm her down. Eager for some peace, she stepped in and saw her mentor already readying a pot of water to boil.

“What brings ye blowing in here like the wind from the mountains child?” The old woman asked calmly as she took one of her own bundles of herbs and readied it for steeping.

“Sesshoumaru is here,” She stated bluntly, setting the basket down and walking over to the fire. When Kaede didn't seem surprised, she guessed that te old woman had sensed the daiyoukai's presence.

“Tis strange for him to be visiting again so soon. Is there any reason?”

Immediately the memory of his declaration and offer in the clearing came back to her, and she fought back a blush as she shook her head vehemently. “Not that I can tell. He told me youkai require meat in their diets. After all this time, Inu Yasha should have been bringing some back for Shippou and he hasn't been,” She growled angrily, frustrated tears beginning to threaten. Ruthlessly forcing them back, she shook her head again then ran her hands through her hair. “He went hunting. This is ridiculous. I need to learn how to hunt so this doesn't happen again.”

“If thou seeks to learn hunting, I doubt there are few better than Sesshoumaru-sama. Perhaps ye should ask for his help.”

The sarcastic noise that met that comment kept the old woman from speaking on the subject further. Instead she filled the silence with talk of the upcoming planting season and the plans the villagers were making in accordance with Kagome's agricultural knowledge.

“Kaede, what if Inu Yasha leaves someday, and doesn't come back?” She finally asked, the question having pressed heavily on her mind.

“I'm not quite sure what you mean child,” The elder admitted as she added bundles to Kagome's basket. After several minutes, Kagome shook her head.

“I don't know either. He's been staying away longer and longer, going further and further away. Sometimes I wonder if he'll never come back.”

“If it occurs, we shall face it then,” Was all the older woman said as she finished and stood, her joints popping as she did so. Knowing her teacher would only be insulted if she offered to take over for the day, she watched as the woman donned her thick outer coat and walked outside into the snow. Following quietly, she forced herself to think on the matters at hand.

Three of the elderly were not expected to make it through the winter, and tea was brewed while Kagome and Kaede both conversed with them. None seemed especially disturbed at the thought of dying, and she found a great deal of envy at their patience with their fates.

A sickly child, born too soon, was the next 'patient' and she found she did not like the visit at all. The woman's husband had lain with her too soon after her last child, and the long line of children before that had weakened the woman's body. The mother had died in childbirth, and the child barely held on while the eldest daughter tried to care for him. Kaede gave the girl a bundle to ease the child's pains and aches, and checked it's development.

“I doubt he will live,” Kaede sighed as they moved farther from the hut. “That man is a brute.”

Kagome said nothing in response, still thinking about the tiny baby and the eldest daughter's impatience with it. Briefly she considered offering to adopt the child, then discarded the idea. Children of the era, at least peasant children, were considered valuable property if they lived through their first winter, as they would be future workers. Their father would never allow it.

Four more people were seen to in short order, and Kaede's premonition was that they would survive if they took care. Kagome's basket was empty and she bowed once to her mentor as the old woman regarded her carefully.

“Perhaps ye should speak to Sesshoumaru, and ask his help in learning how to hunt,” The old woman advised before turning and walking away, her gait betraying her age in the face of her no nonsense tone.

With nothing else to do but go back to her hut, she trudged back, already considering what the old woman had said.

A human man would never teach her to hunt. It just wasn't done. Even though being named a miko had allowed her certain indulgences as far as behavior, she knew not one man would appreciate her using her bow for something other than the protection of the village. Besides, they would ask why she needed to hunt, and she wasn't willing to further humiliate herself by admitting that her own husband did not, would not provide for her. Sango likewise wouldn't be able to help, because she was pregnant...Again. And Miroku did not know how to hunt, only fish.

She stood for several minutes, contemplating the entrance to her home and the furs serving as a door.

Sesshoumaru might do it. But at what cost?

He wouldn't force himself on her, that much she assumed. If he was willing to give her time, he was obviously respecting some sort of boundary, although what kind she couldn't quite figure out, considering his actions.

Her maternal instincts won out over her own discomfort, although she told herself she would be careful around him, and word her request very carefully. Otherwise he might assume something that she did not mean, and that could easily spell disaster.

When she stepped inside, she saw that the children were playing one of the simpler games she'd taught them, and Sesshoumaru was sitting against the wall, eyes on the fire as it danced. Light reflected eerily off of his pupils in the darkness, reminding her only too well that he was not human. Briefly she wondered if he operated on different rules. Already he'd said that marriages meant nothing to him, only matings, which gave a hint to another code that youkai lived by, one she, a human, would probably never understand.

“Sesshoumaru-sama, may I speak with you?” She asked, steeling herself. For a long moment it was as if he hadn't heard her, and she was just beginning to repeat herself when he nodded and stood, all smooth grace and flowing lines. Almost ignoring her he walked past and exited the hut, and she dropped the basket and followed him out, determined to get it over with even as she was trying to word it on her clumsy tongue.

They walked, or more so, he walked and she trudged behind, making her way through the snow. Grateful her home was situated farther from the village. No one was out in the cold to see them, no one to spy or accidentally stumble across them.

“You wish to ask me something.”

She stopped, ran a hand through her unruly hair and sighed heavily.

“I need to learn how to hunt.”

In the snow he was something akin to a spirit, blending in at the edges, his markings standing out in vivid contrast to the white haze surrounding him. When his head tilted to the side and his eyes narrowed, she felt the need to clarify, especially since there was a small tilt to the corner of his lips.

“Just to hunt. Nothing- Not-”

“I understand. It is winter, few animals will venture out.”

She could feel herself visibly slumping, tried to keep her shoulders straight even though she wanted to cry. Bitter hopelessness welled up in her, made her want to sit in the snow and lay there until she fell asleep.

“It would take patience.”

“I can be patient,” She shot out, too eager for her own tastes but almost desperate to learn.

“We will start tonight.”

She nodded, unable to stop the relieved sigh that escaped into the air, steaming as it left her lips.

Their conversation apparently over, he turned and walked back to the hut, hair swaying slightly. She followed, trying to keep her mind on hunting. But the fear crept back in laced around her throat and made it difficult to breathe. Now that she had crossed one hurdle, another was only too glaringly obvious, and her stomach began to churn dangerously.

The hours passed and darkness came early, and when he stood, she was afraid she would vomit, or worse, stand and fall back onto her ass from dizziness.

“Come, miko.”

“Where are you guys going?” Shippou asked, eyes already bleary with sleepiness.

“Your mother wishes to learn how to hunt.”

Shippou, strangely, accepted with no qualms and continued getting ready for bed, not even protesting that she wouldn't be there to tuck him in. Grabbing her bow and arrows as she walked out, she tried to ignore the heavy hammering of her heart. Each breath was measured in an attempt to at least appear calm as they walked through the snow and into the forest.

Snow crunched underfoot and she was positive they were scaring all of they prey into hiding. Why had she even considered this? Perhaps in the spring, when the snow wasn't echoing through the forest like a semi truck rolling through.

“Here,” He murmured, veering from the half hidden path and into the darker recesses of the trees. Unbidden the story of little red riding hood came to mind.

_'Never leave the forest path.'_

Sesshoumaru was not a wolf, but he was certainly a predator, and she followed hesitantly, noticing that there was an immediate difference in light even though most of the trees had shed their leaves. Dark, gnarled branches tangled together over her, and she stumbled once while staring at them, immediately prompting her to look at the ground instead.

When he stopped, she noticed that there was a steep drop off, one she had never seen before.

“Wha-”

He held a finger to her lips and pointed down into the gully with his other hand. Trying not to flush at the feeling of his finger brushing lightly before moving away, she turned her gaze down into the shadows.

For several minutes her eyes tried to adjust, and she had no idea what she was looking for. But one of the shadows shifted, and she saw it. A rabbit moved slowly in the darkness. She moved for her arrows but was stopped by his hand circling her wrist and bringing it back and an almost imperceptible shaking of his head.

Eyes going back to the area he had pointed out, she watched quietly, wondering what he was waiting for. A small eternity later she had her answer when a deer ambled into the area on light feet, ears twitching in alert. It was a female, somewhat small, and it moved along hesitantly, as if knowing hunters watched.

A slight nod of his head and she was drawing her arrow, trying not to let it click against the others. Her eyes remained in the doe as she notched the arrow and pulled the bowstring back slowly, positioning herself as she did so.

She exhaled and the the arrow fly.

The doe was out of the area, and her arrow stuck uselessly out of the snow. A heavy sigh burst from her chest and she stood, startling several rabbits she hadn't even noticed.

“You lack patience.”

She said nothing as she looked for footing to get down into the gully, and his hand grabbed the back of her hakama and she felt herself being dragged back just as she was slipping down, a startled cry leaving her throat.

“What was that for?” She snapped mulishly, scrambling up from her place on the the ground. The seat of her pants had soaked up snow and she could feel it, like cold needles pressing into her skin.

“Ungrateful and impatient.”

“You jerk-”

“Careful miko, you asked for my help.”

“And this is the sort of help I get? I asked to learn how to hunt. So far you've only dragged me to the middle of the forest and pointed a lot!” She snarled, gripping her bow more tightly in an effort not to slap him.

“You wish to learn patience?” He snapped, obviously coming to the end of his own. Air whooshed from her lungs and she felt her hands brought together as her back slammed against a tree. Terror spiked in her heart, stabbed her lungs as her bow fell from numbed fingers and his sash twirled from the force of his movements as he untied the knot and pulled it free. Adrenaline pumped through her system and a scream vibrated in her throat, wanting to break free but lacking the ability as her hands were tied and yanked roughly above her head. Dragged forward and forced to stand on tiptoe, she realized with gut wrenching certainty that he was tying her hands over her head and that he was going to do something awful.

But he slowed, and she was sure the agonizing slowness of his movements was more frightening than the swift economy of before. Leisurely he began untying her hakama and smiled when they dropped to the ground.

“Please don't do this,” She whispered, tears starting.

Her kimono fell open, exposing her to the cold. The oversized garment was pulled up until it was gathered around her arms, an her wound it around the sash, completely baring her to the elements and his gaze.

“Sesshoumaru, please, I can't-”

“You will learn patience and gratitude,” He rumbled, walking away from her. “Perhaps humility as well.”

Hot anger bloomed in her as the realization came, so vivid that even her relief was swept away as she watched him walking further into the darkness.

“You're leaving me here?” She demanded angrily. “I'll get sick, what if someone sees me?”

He said nothing, just kept walking away with calm, slow steps, as if her voice didn't even register. Within minutes he was gone, melting into the shadows.

The freezing cold quickly cooled her temper, although not her pride. Even when her teeth began to chatter and her hands fell asleep she kept her mouth shut. When shivering began to tremble through her body she shook her head and strengthened her resolve. He would not win. Time slowed to an eternity and she called herself a fool for ever once trusting him to hep her. Obviously she was just some form of entertainment, or he was seeking out revenge for some unknown slight.

Trying to take her mind off of the cold and only half succeeding, she began shifting through her memories, looking for whatever it was that could have angered him. But when something rustled to her right she jerked violently, feeling the intangible pressure of two eyes staring at her.

“Sesshoumaru?” She whispered through chattering teeth. 

Something rustled behind her.

“This isn't funny, Sesshoumaru. Stop this and untie me!” She demanded, voice brittle from cold and fear.

The rustling continued, and she was only too aware of youkai that would find her tasty in one way and human men that would find her a delicacy in a completely different one. The idea of wild animals didn't even occur to her. Feat had her jerking against the sash angrily, completely forgetting about the cold in her struggles. But the knot had been tied too well, and e fabric too strong to rip.

“Sesshoumaru, please, get me down!” She shouted, desperation making her voice crack as she struggled. “Please, whatever I did, I'm sorry-”

Warmth engulfed her from behind and she screamed as two large hands settled on her hips.

“Your fear is exquisite,” He rumbled in her ear, breath warming her cheek.

“You asshole!” She shouted, tears threatening even as relief swept through her. It was not a stranger, was not a youkai intent on eating her. Just one inordinately smug daiyoukai.

“It seems you have yet to learn humility,” He smirked. She could hear the smirk in his voice, could almost picture him, eyes narrowed and mouth quirked.

“Get me down!” She snapped, trying to turn herself on her tiptoes. His hand went to her wrists, kept her in place even as she heard cloth rustling behind her. Her fury slipped effortlessly back into fear as fabric fluttered to the ground, sliding against her skin on it's way down. And then the feel of bare flesh, utterly warm and inviting and terrifying was pressed against her back. Despite the reprieve from the cold she shivered, feeling the chill all the more for the sudden warmth.

“Sesshoumaru, don't do this-” She stuttered, mouth going dry, tongue becoming useless as his hands moved over her flesh, down her arms and over her breasts, down her stomach to rest on her hips.

“You're cold,” He sighed.

No shit she was cold. It was winter and there was snow on the ground! She was naked! Of course she would be cold!

She was forced to turn and face him, although she was at eye level with his chest. Clawed hands moved to her thighs, pulled them apart despite her protest and she felt the one place that was warm spread open, exposed to the chill air. Shivering as he lifted her up, she tried to fight it when he brought her legs around his waist, but gave in when he cupped her bottom.

He was warm, and protest died in the face of simple human necessity. Despite the freezing temperature, he seemed unaffected. His skin radiated heat and she greedily soaked it in, tightening her legs around his waist and breathing against his neck, where she had tucked her face.

“Why are you doing this?” She finally asked, needing to break the silence.

His hands moved from her bottom up her back, and she was forced to tighten her legs around him so that she wasn't dislodged from his warmth. His hands trailed heat behind them, as if it seeped into her skin and spread and grew instead of dissipating.

“Sesshoumaru-”

“I had thought to teach you silence,” He sighed.

And then his warmth was receding, but he wasn't moving away he was moving...Down? He slid down her body and she felt electricity spark where his flesh pressed against her own, deliciously warm and strangely erotic. When he stopped, her legs rested on his shoulders and she could feel his breath puffing against her sex.

“Sesshoumaru-”

Whatever she had been about to say was lost in the strangled gasp that escaped as his tongue, searingly hot, pressed against her flesh. Words caught in her throat and refused to come out as his tongue slipped between her folds and over her clit. A satisfied hum vibrated through her groin as he drug in a deep shuddering breath and when she tried to shift her legs, tried to push away from him strong hands clamped down on her thighs. Claws pricked into her skin, inciting another wave of heat, one that started inward and spread out as they pressed deeper, piercing her skin.

The dark other escaped with a satisfied hiss, wrapped silky, smoky hands around her throat as pleasure radiated from her core. Perverse delight rose from her helplessness, her openness to him as he paused and nuzzled the flesh of her mound. The dark other whispered in her ear, urged her to slake her needs and give in to the helplessness, to steal as much as he was willing to give.

“Se-S-” She couldn't even force out his name as he continued, tongue hot and slick against her. The dark other unfolded, whispered a sigh in her head as heat melted the tension and banished the cold. Every part of her ached, tightening as pressure built in her groin. Breaths came out in satisfied, sibilant purrs interspersed with attempts at his name. Sanity spiraled away until there was nothing beyond the feel of him between her legs.

Wickedly warm and smooth, his tongue was lapping at her, making small patterns and pressing against her sex at all the right times, dragging low, throat moans from her throat that spilled into the air like smoke. No one had ever done anything like it before, her husband hadn't even tried, not that the dark other was letting her think about her husband. All she felt were palms and claws and tongue, the sash holding her wrists over her head and his hair against her thighs.

A fang scraped lightly over her clit and she came undone, screaming and tightening her legs around his head as she tried to maintain contact, tension releasing and her blood roaring in her ears.

Warmth surrounded her, pulled her close and sweetness flavored the kiss he gasp her as he inhaled, ruthlessly drug the breath from her lips. Dazed and dizzy she kissed back, savored the sweetness and the feel of his stomach pressing against her still throbbing sex. Teeth nipped he lower lip and claws dug painfully into her flesh, drawing liquid heat. Humming, pulsing flesh felt the soft hair beneath his navel and she shuddered as he ground against her.

When he pulled away he was panting, his face frightening in it's expression of pure, naked hunger. Her tongue moved to wet her lips and she tasted the sweetness of herself, shivered as his eyes followed her tongue as it swept the line of her lower lip.

His hand rose up, and she saw her arms drop between them more than she felt them.

He was tense, as if ready to spring into action the moment she moved, but she stayed still the entire time he went through the motions of dressing her. Slowly but surely her arms regained feeling and she remembered that it was cold outside. As if understanding that her legs would not work, he picked her up and carried her through the snow, both of them still silent.

It wasn't until he lay her on her bed that she remembered that she had a husband, and it wasn't until he left the hut, as silent as always, that she allowed herself to cry.

  ___________________________________________________

 **A/N:** You will note that out of all of my warnings, I never once promised he wasn't going to be an asshole. As always, this is a work of fiction, don't try anything at home without proper training etc etc, and for fuck's sake, remember that this is **fantasy**. Any woman in her right mind would have maimed him at this point. **I don't advocate this type of behavior unless it is a strictly agreed upon and thought out situation between two consenting adults.** Got it? As for my reviewers, you all make me incredibly happy. I am currently all over the place trying to keep up with updates and studying, so if I don't get back to you personally, I am sorry. You are all loved and appreciated.  


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